Newcastle United’s attempts to gatecrash the top four of the Barclays Premier
League and secure an unlikely Champions League spot worth up to £40 million
gathered steam yesterday after they won and their main rivals both suffered
setbacks.

Alan Pardew’s side overcame Bolton Wanderers 2-0, thanks to a wonderful
individual effort from Hatem Ben Arfa and a strike from Papiss Demba Cissé,
the Senegal forward’s tenth goal in nine games since his £9 million move
from Freiburg in January.

At White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur, who little more than a month ago were
seemingly certain of finishing third, were beaten